Jicama slaw with cilantro + avocado and a lime dressing

POSTED ON April 11, 2015

I’ve never posted a recipe using jicama here mostly because the unusual root vegetable isn’t available organically or locally grown where I live. And, I don’t generally like promoting the use of vegetables that are neither of these things. But, it was a long drawn out winter here on the East Coast and there has been so little available that is grown remotely close to home that I’ve almost forgotten about the magic that a local vegetable possesses. With everything shipped from far away places, reaching for jicama hasn’t felt odd or “wrong” as it will once our growing season starts. I am sure that some of you can get either organic or local jicama; so I hope this recipe will inspire you to bring it into your kitchen.

Jicama (hee-ka-ma) is a deliciously crunchy and juicy root vegetable that is a member of the bean family. It looks a little like a turnip with fibrous brown skin. The interior is bright white and is like eating a cross between an Asian pear and a water chestnut, which isn’t surprising since it is actually over 85% water. Jicama is native to Mexico but you’ll find it enjoyed raw with lime, chili and salt all over Latin America. Its light and sweet flavor comes from oligofructose inulin, which is a prebiotic. High in fiber, vitamin C, iron and potassium, jicama is an unusual root vegetable as it is very low in fat and calories. The root also contains vitamin B6, which supports healthy brain and nerve function and helps form red blood cells.

Choose jicamas that are hard and heavy for their size with dry, smooth skin that isn’t blemished. The flesh should be bright white and very crunchy. When they are old they will taste overly sweet and begin to yellow slightly.

This is a great salad to serve a crowd as it sits well for an hour or so and it seems that everyone who tries it falls for it—both times I’ve made it I got lots of requests for the recipe, so here it is.

I hope you enjoy it!

Amy x

Ps. In case you don’t follow along on instagram or Facebook, At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen won an IACP award in the Health & Special Diet category. It was exciting to receive the award and meet so many inspiring chefs and writers. I am honored to have my book recognized.

Pps. My publisher, Roost Books, has confirmed that there was a problem with the glue on one of the early print runs of my book ‘At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen.’ If your copy is losing pages please be in touch with customerservice@roostbooks.com for a replacement copy. So sorry for the inconvenience!

Jicama Slaw

If you are not in the mood for a creamy dressing, you can simply dress this salad with fresh lime and orange or tangerine juice and season to taste.

Serves 6

Dressing

Zest of one lime

3 tablespoons raw cashew butter

6 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided

1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar

1 small clove garlic, crushed

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or cold pressed flax oil

Large pinch sea salt, plus more to taste

Slaw

1 medium –large jicama, peeled and cut in matchsticks (5 cups)

¼ medium red cabbage, thinly sliced (2 cups)

1 medium fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced

2 watermelon radishes, shaved

3 radishes, shaved

2 scallions thinly sliced

3 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds

1 ripe avocado, sliced

2 cups cilantro leaves

Make the dressing:

Add the lime zest, cashew butter and half the lime juice to a small bowl and stir to combine. Once smooth stir in remaining lime juice, vinegar and garlic then stir in olive oil and salt. If the mixture is too thick to coat the salad, stir in a little water until you get desired consistency. Set aside.

Make the salad:

In a large bowl add the jicama, cabbage, fennel, radishes and scallions; toss to combine. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss again. Taste for salt and add more if needed—you will probably need it. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and top with avocado and cilantro, and serve.

7 Comments:

I discovered jicama watching at Master chef Usa, since this vegetable it’s not available in Italy. I can’t figure out exactly how it taste – I’ve never even tried water chestnuts – but your slaw seems really delicious ^_^

I am so excited you won Amy, very much deserved! I really enjoy jicama so I am already in love with this salad. We don’t get it here in Switzerland, so I sometimes use kohlrabi when I want something similar and I may try it out in this salad too. Love the cashew butter dressing here especially!

I love this salad!! I’ve made it twice since I read the recipie a few days ago. What a beautiful combination of flavors, textures and colors- full of phytonutrients. Thank you for your creative healthy recipes!!!

Leave a Reply

"Amy Chaplin makes the most delicious, healthy, inventive vegetarian food I've eaten. She is also a lovely person and a great cooking teacher. I wish I could eat her food all the time."Natalie Portman

"Everything Amy touches and creates turns to pure deliciousness! Her food is made with so much love and the freshest ingredients, you can taste and feel it's goodness in every bite."Liv Tyler

“Amy Chaplin's food is scrumptious, beautiful and meticulous. It is nourishing to the eye, the body, the spirit.”Anna Deavere Smith

“Amy Chaplin manifests rare culinary skills—food she prepares is beautifully balanced with flavor, color, healing and aromatic qualities, seasonal and regional aspects. The result is, her food art nourishes the entire person, serving to awaken and elevate the senses with remarkable therapeutic benefit.”Paul Pitchford, author of Healing with Whole Foods

“Amy Chaplin is one of the world’s foremost vegan chefs and creative spirits. She contributed immeasurably to the success and international reputation of Angelica Kitchen for it’s innovative vegan cuisine.”Leslie McEachern, owner of Angelica Kitchen

"Amy’s whole food cleanse was a transformative experience for me. Amy educated me about the many ingredients she used, so I could continue to integrate them into my life. I can’t imagine a better way to invest in my own health and well-being."E. Andrews, private client

"Amy Chaplin is the most gifted, intuitive, and awesomely wonderful cook out there. She is a wholesome foods wizard, a chef extraordinaire, and one of the loveliest women you will ever meet"Maggie Lyon Varadhan, private client